Sticking close to home can actually harm the health and shorten the life of older adults. When you were a kid, if you holed up in your room all day, or parked in front of the TV for hours, Mom was likely to say, “Get off the couch and go outside for some fresh air!” Now that you’re a grown-up,…
November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that five million people in America today are living with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia. Many experts now believe that the percentage of people who will develop dementia is actually dipping slightly. However, because the population is aging, there will still be…
October is Depression Awareness Month. For last year’s event, the Hand in Hand e-newsletter took a look at ways to help older adults avoid depression, which can have a negative effect on their quality of life and even length of life. This year, in honor of both Depression Awareness Month and November’s National Family Caregiver Month, we take a look…
We all want to make a difference in the world, and to feel that our lives have meaning. Yet as we grow older, life changes can make us feel adrift, without goals or purpose. We retire from our jobs. Our children are grown, maybe moved away. Disabilities might reduce our ability to take part in meaningful activities. And it doesn’t…
Gout was once known as “the disease of kings.” The iconic sufferer was the gluttonous Henry VIII, often pictured holding an entire turkey leg in one hand and a tankard of wine in the other. Some people speculate that Old King Hal’s increasingly irascible temper was caused in part by gout, a form of arthritis long associated with overindulgence, which…
Bob’s phone rang early one morning. “Grandpa? This is your grandson.” “Eli, how good to hear from you!” said Bob. It had been a long time since his college-age grandson had called him. Eli sounded upset and afraid. He had been arrested for drunk driving in Mexico during his spring break trip, and he needed $5,000 for bail money. “Don’t…
“Exercise? I might fall. And I have arthritis, so I’m afraid exercising might hurt! I’ll just sit down all day—that’s the best lifestyle for me.” This senior’s idea is common, but in reality, it raises her risk of pain and falls all the more! Most of us know that exercise is important for good health. But did you know that…
Pain is a major quality of life factor for millions of seniors. Make it a top priority as you arrange care for a loved one. When it was announced that the great music icon Prince had passed away due to a drug overdose, many people assumed his case was similar to the many young rockers who met an early death…
Medical conditions such as arthritis, dementia, hearing loss, visual impairment—and even some of the normal changes of aging, such as slower reaction time and decreased manual dexterity—can mean that it’s no longer safe for a senior to drive. Yet many seniors are very good drivers, having gained experience and savvy during years on the road. According to the American Automobile…
